In this experiment p-cresol was converted to n-propyl p-tolyl ether by using a modified form of the Williamson Ether method. The modified form used is called Phase Transfer Catalysis. The p-cresol was deprotonated by NaOH. The addition of tetrabutylammonium bromide provides the necessary help that the nucleophile needed to get into the organic phase in order to react with the electrophile. The reaction would have proceeded without this addition although it would have been a very slow reaction. This is because the addition of tetrabutylammonium bromide simply speeds up the reaction and is not necessary for the reaction to occur. First, the p-cresol was deprotonated and then an SN2 reaction occurred. The yield obtained reflects how efficiently
